The girl who died from the so-called mosca killer o killer fly. He lived in Costa Rica, where the presence of this insect is causing concern alarm. The interview with Claudio Venturelli, health entomologist.
The Killer Fly Emergence in Costa Rica
Although it typically causes infections mainly in animals, last year there were 7 almost only in the Central American country, which had declared it had deleted in 2000.
The fly, which in scientific jargon is called Cochliomyia hominivoraxis also known as New World worm, because it is native to the American continent and present in some countries of the South America, in certain areas of the Usa and, above all, in Africa.
19-Year-Old Killed by Killer Fly
Right in Costa Rica, a lass Of 19 years She died last June due to infections caused by larvae of the killer fly, which lays eggs egg inside the wounds open of any mammalian species, but also in mucous membranes or other moist areas of the body.
How to recognize a carnivorous fly
The carnivorous flies they are recognized by the color of the body, between the blu and the verde, they orange eyes.
But also for large sizes, about 8-10 millimeterstwice the size of a normal housefly.
What are the symptoms
Once the eggs hatch, the larvae spread into the surrounding tissues, causing a parasitic disease known as miasi.
Infestation by these larvae causes painful infections.
I symptoms in humans may include:
- ache
- intense itching
- skin erythema
- skin nodules
- bumps on the skin
Interview with Claudio Venturelli
What is the so-called ‘killer fly’ and why did it lead to the death of a girl?
“From what has emerged so far, the girl who was the victim already had some chronic pathologies that probably contributed to compromising her general state of health. Until now, in fact, it was thought difficult that it could lead to death, even if the infection of the Cochliomyia hominivorax It can, however, cause serious damage in certain individuals.”
Who are the people most at risk?
“Since it is a fly, it is mainly those who spend a lot of time in contact with animals such as cattle, but also goats and sheep, in the open air. The fly, which is larger than the normal one we know (usually measuring 8-10 mm, is shiny blue-green in colour, with orange eyes, Ndr) it’s called exactly hominivorax because, unlike the fly carnaria common, can attack the mucous membranes and can digest the internal parts of tissue. This can lead to serious pathologies, such as myiasis, even intestinal ones”.
What pathologies are we talking about?
“Even though it is a fly, it acts as if it were carrying a worm. In practice, it deposits its larvae inside the tissues, for example under the skin, but it can also attack internal tissues, with myiasis, even intestinal. These are extreme cases because it is generally recognizable. Probably in the case of the dead girl, a healthcare system that was not perfectly efficient was not able to do so and intervene in time, with the result that the young woman’s conditions worsened irremediably”.
Are there any treatments for killer fly infection?
“Yes. The infection it causes in itself should not be serious, if caught in time. It is treated with drugs used for worms. Naturally, the most fragile subjects due to their previous health conditions, the elderly and children are the most exposed to the risk of worsening”.
The Cochliomyia hominivorax Does it exist in Italy too? Are there any risks?
“No, in Italy there is no news of its presence and even in the case of a possible ‘importation’ from endemic countries, there would not be an ideal habitat, because this fly lives in very hot environments. The same goes for Europe. However, it is true that, with the climate changes underway, we are no longer sure of anything. This is demonstrated by the fact that animals never seen before on our continent are also arriving. The danger, however, is not imminent at the moment”.
Why would the number of these insects have increased?
“The killer fly was first reported in Guyana, South America, in 1858. The last time it was heard of with any alarm, before the recent cases in the same area, was at least 20 years ago. The problem, however, concerned some African countries. In both cases, local hygienic conditions may have contributed to the increase in cases of infection, also because it was not possible to intervene in time”.
Are flies a source of alarm, in general, like mosquitoes?
“It depends on the type of insect. For example, the killer fly, yes, because it feeds on living tissue. On the other hand, blow flies feed on dead tissue and during the Second World War, for example, they used them to treat some wounds: by eating gangrenous tissue, they cleaned the wounds and released a sort of antibiotic. Today, these flies are even bred, sterile, to be used to treat bedsores that take a long time to heal. But they only feed on rotting material, while the killer fly feeds on living parts and this is a problem”.
Photo source: 123RF
Source: notizie.virgilio.it
